Apparatus for classifying minerals.



RIGHARIES. APPARATUS FOR ULASSIFYING MINERALSv AFELIGATION FILED JULY 25, 1907.

'Eatented M, 19%. 2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

ma. RICHARDS: APPARATUS FOR GLASSIFYIHG MINERALS.

I APPLICATION FILED JULY 25. 1907.

ma -mm,

Eat antefi 314, i999.

m J delimi -$1.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Mil. UJJL Jo ilk/ins BJSIQN, KJEASSACHUSETTS.

imdifl lis .SSIFYZNG MINERALS.

lm'tented ll cc. l4, till-l9.

Ajuplicetion filed Zuly 1907. Serial No. 885,502.

To all roll-om it nur z concern:

lie it known that I, ROBERT HALLon'sLL ICHARDS, a citizm ot' the United States, residing at Boston, in the county Suffolk and State of lllassacl'rusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for {)lnssifying -illiinerals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus-for use in concentrating mills to sepurateFg'rode or classify ores by the aid of water, and by what may ivell be termed hindered settling. This principle of separation or classification of ores is susceptible of somewhat varied embodiment, a preferred form being here illustrated and described;

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan View with the valve by which the pulsating action is effected, and its cosing, shown in section; 2 1s a side elevation of the apparatus; Fig. 3 a vertical cross section on the line 33 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the :1 rows in said figure; Fig. 4 a vertical section on the line -ll of 3 to better show the overflow dams; and Fig. 5 a section on the line 5-5 of F 1g. 3 illustret-in more in detail the valves controlling .he Wa er inlets.

ln drder to make clear the nature and scone of my present invention, 1 will first do) no or explainthe settling action of mineral grains in water. 'lher are two conditions under which sands or mineral grains of mixed sizes and of different specific gravities can and will settle in water, viz: First. Where the grains are entirely free from one another; each assuming its natural rate and speed of settling, due to its size, weight and shape. lVhen, for example, mixed grains of quartz and galcna are allowed to settle in water under those conditions, it found that the grains of they lighter quartz, which setlle at the same rate with the heavier galena, have a diameter of (approximately) four times that of the latter. This is called hrs-sh o occtying under free settling conditions. end. If, on the other hand, water be admitted through a small aperture or series of apertures to the bottom of a vessel in which a mass of grains of quartz and galcnans resting, the rise of the current of water through the mass causes the quartz and galena grains to arrange themselves accord ing to their ah' ity s..ttle u ler such ditions, and it is iound. that quartz that settles in juxtaposition with the grain of gale n has (approxin'mtclyl six times the diameter of the latter. This method of classification called classification under hindered settling conditions.

Classifiers used in mills up to the present time and employing water, have more commonly operated under free settling conditions. The present invention is hased upon the hindered settling principle.

in carrying out this mode of separation or classification, water under adequate head is delivered through a suitable perforate or foraminous floor into the foot of a vertical chamber or column, or a series of such chambers or columns, the water being suddenly admitted and as suddenly cut oil so as to produce a rapid succession of pulsations.

which by reason of the upward action tends to elevate the particles of matter, and to letthcm tall haclr through the water column and arrange 'thcmse *es according to their specific gravities and their dimensions. A

In the construction of an apparatus of this sort it is .desirzil'ile to provide for its convenient shipment. assembling and repair, and hence is found expedient to make it of a series of castings of like form or outline. though of 'a'riahle dimensions in the direc tion of the length of the assembled lip/pan ratus, if desired. In other words, the apparatus advantagemlsly formed of a series of sections of like cross section formed with flanges to receive fastening bolts whcrclrv the sections may be united one to another to produce an apparatus of any desired length. This will be readily understood upon referring; to the accompanying drawings in which the apparatus will be seen to consist oi. a series of sections 1, 2, 3, 4-, 5 and 6 each composed of an upper costing .1 and a lower casting ll. respectively of the cross iictions shown in Fig. 3. These castings are formed with llangesa by which the two castings A- and B may he bolted to each other. and the several sections may be bolted one to another to make up the complete structure.

Each upper casting comprises a vertical chamber 1), one wall of which is provided with an opening 1* communicullug with a lateral oxlcnsirm 1/, the walls of whichriso somewhat above the top of theopening c and the honour oi which is provided with an d ll further eonlprisc at. "t the chamber o water pass, go 01 conduit f. Suitable brackets g are formed upon the casting A to rest upon timbers or other supporting framework.

The lower casting B is or may be of a cross sectional width corresponding to that of the upper casting A, and has a horizontal late or webh which forms a roof to the ower castingand a floor to the wat er conduit, but which is omitted from or does not extend across that portion of the casting B which stands immediately below the chamber b of the upper casting.

The plate or web it is formed with a de pending skirt 2' which is in vertical alinement with the wall of the chamber 6, and forms a continuation thereof. i The boundaries of the opening the top of the casting B are recessed to receive a screen or diaphragm C of perforate-or foraminous material. This is preferably made of two layers, 7' and is, one of the requisite fineness of Wire and mesh, and the other of heavier wire and larger mesh to give adequate supporting or sustaining capacity.

The vertical side walls of the lower casting B are respectively in alinement with the outer wall of the upper chamber 6 and with the outer wall of the water passage or con duit f, but are of unequal length or depth, the wall which in efiect forms a continuation of a wall of the conduit being of about the same vertical depth as the skirt 2', while the other is of about three times suchdepth or vertical length. These vertical wallsare connected b an inclined wall forming the bottom of the chamber, and thus iving to the space within the casting B the term of a hop er with the lowest point at one side and at the foot of the deeper vertical wall. At this point an outlet pipe Z is provided, and this in turn is furnished with a cock, valve or gate on through which to discharge the contents of the hutch or chamber N within the casting)- B. The; chambers N form ressure'cham ers, and also collecting chambers for whatever may fallthrough the perforate floors of the upper chambers.

The plate or web It constituting the diaphragm or partition between the water passage f and the interior of the hutch or chamber N oicasting B is provided with a circular opening it through which water may pass from the conduit f to said hutch. This passage is controlled by a hollow valve plug 1) of circular form in horizontal cross section, and ofa diameter at its upper and lower portions to accurately fill theopening 92. Between its upper and lower portions the valve is, however, tapered or reduced from the upper portion downward, and

within the tapering walls are formed openbugs 0 for the passage of water, widening from the ;top downward.

It will be observed thatby, reason of the peculiar form Of the valve plug or body of the openings 0 therein, the area of the opemngs through which water may pass rapidly increases as the valve is hfted, and

as rapidly decreases when it is lowered, thus ed directly one to another it is evident thatv three walls willbe sufiicient for all except the end sections, one wall servin for two adjoining chambers, but each maybe formed wiilth four complete walls if deemed desira e. chambers b are each provided with openings 7; of the full width of the chambers b, or ap proximately so, and ofa height about equal to their width. These openings constitute a continuous passage through the apparatus from the first to the last section, directl* above the perforate or foraminous floor Itis desirable that the height of these openings be variable at will hence each opening is 'uarded by a vertically movable gate or slide E movable in Ways, and carried by a vertical rod above said bracket with a nut s which may conveniently be in the form of a thumb-nut as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. By backing the nut the gate is permitted to fall, and to approach more or less nearly to the surface of the screen or perforated floor C. By turning the nut in the direction to screw upon the rod it will lift the rod and its gate, and increase the distance between the gate and the perforated floor C. In like manner it is the overflow from each chamber 7) to the outlete. Accordingly each outlet opening I: is guarded by a vertically movable gate or dam, movable in guideways at the sides of said opening, and provided with a lifting rod u threaded at its upper end and raised or lowered by a thumb-nut v resting upon a bracket wat the top of the casting A. The gate or dam t can be lowered so that its upper edge is flush with the lower-wall of the opening 0, or may be raised'to the top of said opening, and thus the level of the overflow maybe located at any point between these extremes, or the overflow entirely closed. Each sectieh being thus equipped, its water s1,1ppl y,/'overfiow and connnumcation The partition walls separating the passing through a bracketr atthe, upper ent of the casting A, and provided c desirable to regulate the height or level ot.

with adjoining chambers maybe controlled as. desired.

Preceding the-section 1 is the feed hopper section F,,wh'ich i s thesame in all material respects asthe other sections save that it has no overflow, and that thevchamber 72 is made -of hopper shape to facilitate the introductionoof material for treatment and its delivchamber L is provided jusi in horizi; section in. Fig. 1, and has formed within it an annular wall .11 within which is placed a rotary annular valve ll, carried by a shaft or spiiullo I, one end of ilo iiC-ll passes through a. suira smiling box 3 and is provided utside the shell or casing with a band-wheel d, or other means for the application of pover to ell cct its rotation. The wall has an openin on the side toward the section 6, and the valve l'l is provided with a. corresponding opening or openings to register with the opening in the Wall v The annular drum or body of the valve H is carried by a central web, the hub of which is keyed or otherwise made fast to the shaft l, and the ivm'erentering at the ends of ihe annular hotly passes thr ugh the opening or openings .2 on registration of the opening or openings with the opening in said wall w. it will be observed that this construction of a roiary valve causes it to be in balance, or practici lly so, and enables it to be rotated (freely and with comparatively small expenditure o'l power so that it may he operated rapidly, and open and close communication between the. water supply pipe ll. and the conduit 7 frequently and as suddenly as nu y be desired. An air in advance and on the supply or receiving side or the rotary valve H, the air in which chamber becoming more or loss compressed, serves to overcome lhe inertia. of the arrested water current, and to'force the we er through the valve the instant thelatter is opened and before it can 1 I close again. ll1tl'i'0ut this provision the requisite frequency, regularity, suddenness, and'certainty oi nnpulses cannot be attained. incidentally, water hammer is prevented.

-lo guard against undue accumulation of air within the chamber L, a small petcock (1 is provided, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2-. The water supply pipe K is provided with a gate valve M to control or entirely shut oil the flow of water to the apparatus.

The gage of the Wires of Which the different screens C are made and the mesh thereof, will or may vary ill-tile different chambers as 1'ci-n1ired, a nl' as different classes of maierial req11ire difi'erenr, mesh, no fixed rule or at'on can he fJfiiUlHfiTQtl.

1t wlil e ll or casing of the form shown giand or I seen upon reifen'ing to F :2

.ililicrcut elevations, that oil chaniher 1 il 1 the overflow openings c are pla ed at water columns of progressively loss hLight or depth from the receiving toward lho liver end of the apparatus.

it will, of course, be understood that the emire structure may he built or other materials as, for instance. wood with or without metal lininggnnd [hai lhe precise form is not essential, but i have shown and described a construction which, considered lmth from the standpoint of the builder and the user, deemed he's'tadapt-ed to praclical results.

The apparatus constructed as above set forih operates in the following manner The several valves l) are adjusted to permit, a proper quantity of water to pass from the conduit f into the hutches or collecting hopper bot toms of each section of the series, the flow to each being graded according lo requirements in any given instance. Similarly, the gates E are adjusted to determine the opei'iing from the base of each chamber or column Z) to the next, and the slides or dams t are adjusted. to de'lerniine the height of the overflow in each column. This done powe is applied to ihvalve shaft I by belt or otherwise, and it is caused to make a given number of revolutions per minute, varying according to hie cl rotor of the material, the fineness of .licaiiion dcsired, and like considerations. he mineral substances to he classil'ied are inlroduccd with water into the fed hopper l7, and fall to the perforate lion: (.1 'ihereof. Water aillllliil by the valve H to the conduit the openings to the lunches 1):, mg beneath the shirts and di reeled in a general way by the inclined bottom of the nuches, iur 1s upward and enters each chamber (3 through its perii'oratc or ioraminous bottom.

)wing to the frequent opening and closing of the valve, the water comes in a se ries o1 pulsations, which have the eli'ect of throwing upward the mass of material contained in each chamber or column b, and this sudden upward movement is followed during the time that the valve H is closed by a falling back of the particles con ained in the Water column. This recurs with greater or less lreqnency according to the speed of rotation of the valve H, and the particles being thus constantly thrown upward and allowed to fall back, re-arrenge themselves according to iheir dimensions, shape and specific gravities.

sands or par es than can he obtained with (i curreiit ring T re pulsating lea being in the first chamber and the coarsest The screens or perforate floors of the respective chambers may be graded, the finest in the last chamber, with any gradation between that may be deemed desirable in each given instance, or they may be alike. The water column in the first chamber or column I) being of greater depth than the others and the mass of material being there first acted upon and containing all the different grades and qualities of material it is in'this'chamher that the finest pulps are classified, and

from which they are delivered. The lightest of the floating particles being gradually carried to the top by the successive pulsations of the water, float ofi through the'overfiow c and its outlet pipe 6, while the finest of the heavy particles fall through the perforate floor C, and are collected in the hutch N of the first section or separating chamber and ore concentrator.

By reason of the opening from each chamher to the next the materialunder treatment gradually works from the first to the second chamber, from the second to the third,and

so on through the entire series, the agitation.

gravitate into the hutch or chamber N below, and this same difierence in action, varying only in degree, will follow throughout the successive sections or chambers.

As portions of the material under treat- 'nient are-taken out in each section of the apparatus, and as the action is not carried to the same extent in each of the chambers, it is found expedient to make the chambers of progressively less horizontal measurement-as the delivery end of the'apparatus is a proached. Thus chamber 1 1S approximate y three times the measurement of chamber 6 as shown in the drawing, in thedirection of the length of the apparatus. however, is merely sug estive, and,may be varied if desired. The ast chamber or column is provided just above the level of the screen or perforate floor with an opening normally closed by a plug 0, serving when necessar as amcans of drawing cit or removing accumulated concentrates. The concentrates are usually delivered from this compartment.

By constructing the apparatus of a series of sections of like form I am enabled by merely introducing or removing sections to vary the extent to which the separation and classification shall be carried, and in some measure to vary its capacity.

Having thus described my invention, What I. claim is:

1. In an, apparatus for grading, separating, and classifying ores, a structure pro- This proportion,

lower levels from t e receiving toward the dischargingend of the apparatus; a perforate partition separating each upper chamber from the chamber beneath it; ates or cut-ofi's controlling the passageways etween the upper chambers; a water su "ply conduit lower. chambers; valves, one between said conduit and each lower chamber; a valve controlling the delivery ofwater to said c'onduit; and means for openin and closing said last mentioned valve with frequency and regularity.

2 In an apparatus for classifying ores, a series of separable sections each comprising an upright chamber or column and a lower collecting chamber or. compartment, each u per chamberafter the first one provided with en overflow; a water conduit communicating with each lower chamber or compartmerit; adjustable gates contrcilin communication between the upri htchzimb umns; valves for controllin the delivery of floor or diaphragm separating the upper bers; and means for delivering to the con duit a pulsating water current without back flow.

tying, and concentrating ores, the combinatlon ofa series of separable sectlons each a foraminous diaphragm separating said chambers, 21 dependin skirt extending downward from said lower chamber, a water conduit at one side,

a lateral extension communicating with the an outlet, the water conduits of the several sections being. joined to form a continuous conduit; and a valve controlling the supply of water to the common conduit, and serving to open and close communication with the source of supply with frequency and regularity, whereby a single valve is caused to produce a pulsating action in the chanr bers of the several sections.

4. The herein described grading, classifying and concentrating apparatus, comprising vided with a series of vertically extended considerable water to each lower chem er; a perforate iaphragm into the communicating with the severe hutches or ers or 001- chambers or columns and the lower chem;

3. In an apparatus for, separating, classi comprising an upper and a lower chamber,

and, (except in the case of the first section), I

upperchamber or column and provided with or containing a feed hopper, a series of upl'lglll) COl'llllTllS OI ClltllllbQlS C(lll'lllllllllCittlIlg witlreach other at their lower ends and the pcrlorate diaphragm or partition separating the upper and the lower chamber"; gates 1 controlling the passages oi communication between the upper chambers and the feed hopper, said upper chambers being provided with overflow outlets at progressively lower levels toward the delivery end of the series; a conduit communicating with the several lower chambers; regulating valves between said conduit and the respective lower chambers, one for each; and a valve located between the head or source of water supply and the conduit and adapted to be opened and closed with considerable frequency, whereby water is caused to be delivered to the conduit in a series of pulsations without reflux and thence through the lower chambers to the upper chambers or columns under control of the valves between the conduit and the lower chambers.

5. in an apparatus for separating. grading and classifying substances, a casting containing an upright chamber provided at one side with a lateral extension cmnmunicating with 'said chamber by an opening or passage, said extension also provided with an outlet opening; a water conduit at the opposite side;- a perforate floor or diaphragm at the base of the upright chamber; a second casting secured to the lower end ot. the first and having a laterally cxtendel top wall prc vided with an inlet: opening, a depending sitirt. an inclined bottom wall, and an out let ipi; an adjustable dam controlling the passage of connnunication between the .uppcr chamber-and the lateral extension; at alve controlling the inlet opening from the conduit to the chamber within the lower casting; and a valve located between the source of water supply and the conduit and adapted to be rapidly opened and closed, whereby a pulsating current without reflux is produced in the ICHDQCtlVG chambers.

(3. In an apparatus for separating, grading and classifying minerals, in combination, a body or structure containing an upper chamber or column, a lower chamber, and a perforate diaphragm separating said chambers: a water conduit communicating with the lower chamber; and a valve comprising an outer shell or casing having a water inlet at one side, an inner annular shell or Wall open at its ends and having a passage of connnunication opening into the conduit, and a rotatable-drum arranged within. said annular shell, open at its ends, and provided with diametrically opposite openings to register with the passage of con'mnication opening into the conduit, whereby the *alve is balanccd and adapted to open and close frequently andieasily.

7. The herein described apparatus for treating mineral substances, comprising a feed hopper, and a series of columns or chambers with which the feed hopper conimunicates and which in turn communicate with each other at or near the bottom, each of said chambers being provided with an overflow outlet; a water conduit extending past the several chambers; a series of hutches, one bcncatlrcach upright column or chamber and beneath the hopper, and e: tending thence laterally beneath the water conduit; drawbtl' pipes for the respective hutches: valves or cocks applied to the conduit and controlling connnunication with the respective hutches; regulating gates for con trolling the height of the overflow from the respective chambers; gates controlling communication l.n,-twcen the hopper and the first chamber and between the several chambers; a per foratc diaphragm separating the upper and lowerchambers; and'a valve adapted to be opened and closed with frequency, and serving to control the delivery of water into the conduit supplying the several lower chambers or hutches.

9. in combination with a se 'iaratinggrading and classifying apparatusot the character described. a valve adapted to open and close communication between said apparatus and the water supply with considerable frc quency; an air chamber located between said valve and the source of supply and serving to take up the shock incident to the sudden stoppage ot the flow of water and to quickly start the how when the valve is open, and a vent cock applied to said air chamber and serving to permit the escape of air when the compression becomes too great.

In testimony whereof I have signed my,

name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT H. RICHARDS.

Witnesses 4 J. M. COMSTOGK, lVA'L'rnR HUMPnimvs. 

